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Notification issued for vehicles with foreign registration

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The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued the Motor Vehicles Non Transport Vehicles Visiting India Rules, 2022 vide notification GSR 680(E) dated 02.09.2022. These rules formalize the movement of Non-Transport (Personal) vehicles registered in other countries when entering or plying in the territory of India.

The following documents shall be carried in the vehicle(s) operating under these rules during the duration of stay in the country, namely:–

(i)         A valid registration certificate;

(ii)        A valid driving license or international driving permit, whichever is applicable;

(iii)       A valid insurance policy;

(iv)       A valid pollution under control certificate (if applicable in the origin country);

In case the documents referred above are in a language other than English, then an authorized English translation, duly authenticated by the issuing authority, shall be carried along with the original documents.

Photo:en.wikipedia.org

Driving in India/Photo:en.wikipedia.org

Motor vehicles registered in any country other than India shall not be permitted to transport local passengers and goods within the territory of India.

Motor vehicles registered in any country other than India shall be required to comply with rules and regulations made under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 of India.

 

 

 

Schools, offices closed tomorrow on Vajpayee’s demise

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Image result for vajpayee PIBMore than 12 states and the central government have announced a holiday tomorrow, Friday, August 17, 2018 following the death of former Prime Minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee. The states include Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, UP, MP, Bihar, Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, among others.

Vajpayee breathed his last on Thursday at 5:05 pm, said an official statement and the government has announced a 7-day mourning whereby the national flags will be lowered half mast.

Delhi Government was among the many states to announce a holiday the next day, Friday, August 17 for all schools, colleges and government offices. Haryana, Punjab, UP, MP, Bihar, Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand followed the same while Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and other states are yet to announce the holiday officially.

Goa has later joined others and announced state holiday in Goa on Friday. Andhra Pradesh is yet to announce a holiday. Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, was the first to tweet a statewide holiday. However, all IT and private companies will work as usual.

Atal Behari Vajpayee was remembered for his famous speech at UN in Hindi for the first time in 1978 as foreign minister and then his bold move to hold the Pokhran Tests. His poems in Hindi are famous and he is seen a literary figure in the field.

Thrice Prime Minister of India in span of 10 years. Vajpayee was a respected leader among all the parties cutting acrosss the ideological divide.

Team Indus gears up for second chance at Lunar XPRIZE

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India’s first private sector space agency Team Indus is gearing up for the XPRIZE lunar launch giving final touches to its stalled latest mini rover meant for lunar landing.

Since Team Indus failed to raise funds for ISRO-backed PSLV launch, it could not meet the deadline set by Google as of March 31, 2018. Eventually, Google withdrew the prize money of $30 million and called it off.

Now that XPRIZE, which had successfully launched similar scientific missions in the past has renewed its mission to undertake the Lunar XPRIZE and Bangalore-based Team Indus emerges with renewed vigour.

Team Indus founder and CEO Rahul Narayan was upbeat. “The Google Lunar XPRIZE served as an excellent early catalyst to get new people, partners and money involved. With the renewed interest in beyond Earth-orbit exploration by multiple large government space agencies, a new Lunar XPRIZE will be a perfectly timed platform with the chances of multiple successful launches being much higher than before,” he said.

Under the terms of Google XPRIZE competition, the space company or its competitors have to make a soft-landing of their lunar rover, which should traverse at least 500 metres and send high-quality images back to the ground control on the earth. However, the new parameters will be re-defined now, said XPRIZE in a statement.

While Team Indus was seen as a sure-shot winner with its progress in designing the lunar rover and displaying it at several space events in India and abroad, the company failed to raise the required funds to pay for ISRO’s PSLV launcher.

Since 2007, Google Lunar XPRIZE teams have raised over $300 million through corporate sponsorships, government contracts and venture capital. As of 2017 January, Team Indus from India, Japan’s HAKUTO, Israel-based SpaceIL, American firms Moon Express and Synergy Moon were selected out of the 33 teams from 17 countries for the $1 million initial prize. However, the failure of any of them to raise next round of funds forced Google to withdraw the $30 million grand prize.

Chanda Gonzales-Mowrer, Senior Director of XPRIZE, said: “These space entrepreneurs are developing long-term business models around lunar transportation and we cannot give up on them now.”

All the Lunar XPRIZE startups are equally enthusiastic to participate in the Lunar XPRIZE competition without a monetary prize but the organisers are hopeful to find a new sponsor to replace elusive Google. Peter H. Diamandis, XPRIZE founder and executive chairman said, “XPRIZE is now looking for our next visionary Title Sponsor who wants to put their logo on these teams and on the lunar surface.”

Bob Richards, founder & CEO of Moon Express welcomed XPRIZE decision to renew the competition. “While we plan to win this Moon race and are committed to carrying the Lunar XPRIZE logo, the real opportunity is in opening the lunar frontier and the multibillion dollar industry that follows.”

Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of Japan’s space firm iSpace, which has designed HAKUTO, echoed similar views when he said, “We believe a new competition would again elevate our industry to an even higher level, so we eagerly welcome a new Lunar XPRIZE.”

While all eyes are on a new Title Sponsor, whoever pitches in would have the benefit of having their name and branding incorporated into the competition, and in success, on the surface of the Moon, said XPRIZE.

XPRIZE had conducted the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, the $15M Global Learning XPRIZE, the $10M ANA Avatar XPRIZE, the $7M Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, the $7M Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE, the $5M IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, the $1.75M Water Abundance XPRIZE and the $1M Anu and Naveen Jain Women’s Safety XPRIZE in the past.

Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 to be Held in Hyderabad, November 28-30

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A high-level delegation from the Government of India and the United States met today, at NITI Aayog to plan the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which will be held November 28-30 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad, India.

The Summit will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump, who leads the U.S. delegation.

The GES is the preeminent annual gathering of emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders from around the world. Through networking, mentoring, and workshops, the GES empowers entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, build partnerships, secure funding, and create innovative goods and services that will transform societies. This year, the focus will be on women entrepreneurs and the tremendous potential women bring to entrepreneurship.

GES 2017 will create an environment that empowers innovators, particularly women, to take their ideas to the next level. Women represent tremendous promise for economic growth and prosperity — but in both developing and developed countries, also face tremendous barriers to building businesses. This year’s theme is “Women First, Prosperity for All” to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in all its strengths and diversity.

GES 2017 will be attended by over 1600 delegates, including entrepreneurs and investors, CEOs of major knowledge-based industries, representing the full measure of entrepreneurial talent from diverse backgrounds across the world. The participants will be truly global, representing 160 countries, with representation from every region of the world. Entrepreneurs will represent a diverse range of geographies, industries, business size and scalability. Investors and representatives from organizations that support entrepreneurs will be hand-picked to catalyze investment, networking and mentoring. There will be special emphasis on empowering young and women entrepreneurs and the role they play in making communities more prosperous and secure through enterprise.

NITI Aayog is taking the lead in organising this Summit for the Government of India. Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog stated that this is a unique opportunity for Indian Startups and Innovators to interact and network with the finest entrepreneurs of the world. He acknowledged the support of Government of Telangana in hosting the Summit at Hyderabad, and said “India, the oldest civilization, welcomes civilizations from across the world to GES 2017. We need to harness technology to solve some of the most pressing problems in healthcare delivery, education, energy, safe drinking water and agriculture, among others for the benefit of communities at large. Innovation and entrepreneurship will play a decisive role towards this end. I am sure this will be a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to interact with the best.”

Jennifer Arangio, Senior Director at the National Security Council, The White House, said “The United States is proud to partner with India for this year’s GES. Uniting under the theme Women First, Prosperity for All, the Summit will highlight the Trump Administration’s commitment to the principle that when women are economically empowered, communities and countries thrive. Hosting GES in India is a signature of the broad and enduring partnership between our two countries. We thank our co-host, the Government of India, for their support, energy and hospitality, and look forward to a high-impact Summit that brings together ground-breaking U.S. entrepreneurs and investors with their counterparts from around the world.”

Innovations developed by entrepreneurs have transformed the world’s economies by creating jobs, increasing productivity, and improving the quality of life for people everywhere. The summit will primarily focus on four thematic sectors: Energy & Infrastructure, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Financial Technology & Digital Economy, and Media & Entertainment sectors.

The GES 2017 agenda consists of breakout sessions, master classes, and workshops. Three networking sessions are planned in the schedule to enhance opportunities to interact with other GES 2017 participants. The summit will have Breakout Sessions where panelists will discuss key themes, innovative industries, and other aspects of entrepreneurship that are being highlighted in GES 2017. Master Classes are immersive, and typically focus in depth on a certain topic. Workshops invite more hands-on, interactive conversations on a chosen topic between the panelists and the audience.

NITI Aayog and the U.S. Embassy are planning a series of ‘Road to GES’ events in collaboration with different agencies to generate enthusiasm and attract the attention of different stakeholders.

As part of the summit, there will be a virtual exhibition of India’s innovative prowess in collaboration with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. It is also proposed to showcase India’s heritage, social entrepreneurship and craftsmanship in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Culture.

For more information, visit www.ges2017.gov.in and www.ges2017.org

Swiss technology companies should take part in our initiatives

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Swiss technology companies should take part in our initiatives like Make in India, start-up India, Swachh Bharat and skill India, says President .

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, yesterday (August 31, 2017) received Her Excellency Ms. Doris Leuthard, the President of the Swiss Confederation, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He also hosted a banquet in her honour.

Welcoming the Swiss President, the President said that Switzerland and India are natural partners. Switzerland is one of the oldest democracies and India is the largest democracy. A Treaty of Friendship between India and Switzerland signed in New Delhi in August 1948 was one of the first treaties to be signed by independent India.

The President said that Switzerland is an important trade and investment partner for India. India is a preferred destination for FDI as it is the world’s fastest growing large economy. He stated that India has made great progress on the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and in creating a unified market through GST and other measures. Swiss companies are ideally positioned to take advantage. He invited Swiss technology companies to take part in initiatives like Make in India, Start-Up India, Swachh Bharat and Skill India.

Subsequently, in his banquet speech, President Kovind said that the visit of the Swiss President assumes special significance as this year marks a milestone in bilateral relations. India and Switzerland enter the 70th year of the Friendship and Establishment Treaty. Both India and Switzerland represent democratic and plural societies that believe in the principles of “respect for differences” and “unity in diversity”. Switzerland is India’s seventh largest trading partner and 11th largest foreign investor.

The President said that India and Switzerland can grow and diversify their trade, investment and technological exchanges. The two countries need to pursue even closer business partnerships in priority sectors such as precision and high technology manufacturing, infrastructure, skill development, renewable energy and clean-tech research. There is scope for creating partnerships between R&D labs and institutions.

The President said that like Switzerland, India is committed to multilateralism. Yet, the multilateral order needs to undergo multiple transformations; namely- Reform and restructuring of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions; Tackling urgent challenges of international terrorism and radicalism, as well as of financial and cyber-crimes and of Internet governance; and Meeting pressing concerns of climate change and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. He stated that India is keen to build synergies with Switzerland in all of these endeavours, while working within the framework of a rules-based multilateral system.

India Missile in Pipeline to Target Whole of China: Report

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India is gearing up its nuclear arsenal aimed at targeting entire China, while it is already capable of deterring Pakistan, said a research article published in July-August issue of ‘After Midnight’.

Written by top American nuclear experts — Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris — in the article titled, “Indian nuclear forces 2017“, the report said India is modernising its atomic arsenal seeking parity with China and not Pakistan, its traditional arch rival in the region of South Asia.

The writers claimed that India is now developing a missile which can carry nuclear heads to any remote area in China from its bases in South India. So far, India has developed an estimated 600 kilograms of plutonium, sufficient to produce 200 warhead though it has developed 120 to 130 nuclear warheads, they said.

India’s nuclear strategy is fast shifting to China, which they called “Decoupling” strategy aimed at both the northern neighbours. “While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China. That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons’ role against Pakistan,” they said.

The report has also estimated that India has seven nuclear-capable systems in total, four land-based nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, the short-range Prithvi-2 and Agni-1, the medium-range Agni-2, and the intermediate-range Agni-3. At least two other longer-range Agni missiles are under development known as the Agni-4 and Agni-5, it said.

There is speculation to arm the Agni-5 with multiple warheads – even multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) in the near future, said the report. The report attributed this development to recent changes in China and Pakistan policies. China resorted to equip some of its ICBMs with MIRVs, while Pakistan announced in January 2017 that it had test-launched a new Ababeel ICBM with MIRVs. Soon, India may come under pressure to opt for MIRV technology, argued the authors.

 

New Born Declared Dead Comes to Life Just Before Funeral

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In a repetition of several such incidents where the patients are declared dead without proper checks, a hospital in Warangal, Telangana declared a four-day-old baby dead on Sunday but when she started moving at the cremation grounds, parents realised the faux pas but in vain.

The baby delivered at a private hospital weighed just 450 grams and was brought to MGM hospital in Warangal for neonatal intensive care unit, which has ventilator and oxygen facilities.
On Sunday morning at 11.30 am, the doctor on duty declared the baby dead and issued a death certificate too when parents decided to take the body to the cremation ground for the final rites.

When they found the baby moving, they rushed back to the same hospital where doctors again declared the baby dead, causing commotion and outrage among the relatives for their negligence in declaring the baby dead in the first instance and thus denying proper care. The parents said the doctors failed to properly check the ECG to determine the baby’s condition before declaring the baby dead.

Two weeks ago, in Delhi Safdarjung Hospital too a newborn, weighing around 460 gm was not revived after an abortion citing international norm but the baby was found alive later. Doctors who said, “It was technically an abortion because the delivery took place in the 20th week of pregnancy. Internationally, the norm says such children should not be revived,” failed to explain how they missed that the child was still breathing.

I could have buried my child if he hadn’t started kicking from inside the plastic packet,” said the father who had filed a complaint of negligence with the police.

 

Recalled Galaxy Note 7 to Sell at 30% Less in South Korea, Not in India, US: Samsung

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Samsung Electronics, which has recalled millions of units of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, will refurbish them and sell them 30 percent discounted price in South Korea beginning Friday, July 7, 2017.

The Galaxy Note 7 faced several instances of battery fires and was banned in aircraft last year when it was launched, forcing the mobile giant to recall them. Now Samsung wants to resell them with replaced batteries manufactured by different makers.

Samsung said in a statement that 400,000 phones, dubbed the Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition, will be put on sale in its home country priced at 699,600 won ($611), which is 30 percent lower than the Note 7’s original launch price.

The new units meant for sale are from recalled, unsealed Galaxy Note 7 handsets and making use of some unused Note 7 components, said the company. Since the battery was the main problem, the replaced battery will have a lower capacity than those of the original Note 7s, but have passed new safety measures, it said.

To recall, Samsung faced unprecedented criticism over a higher capacity battery that was used in its highly advertised Galaxy Note 7 when it was launched in October last year.

Within two months, amid several instances of the smartphone catching fire from its batteries, Samsung had to recall all the units that had cost the world’s biggest smartphone maker by volume a staggering amount of $5 billion and damaged its reputation, though its next launch Galaxy S8 was smooth and successful.

Samsung will decide soon whether to sell the refurbished Note 7s in other markets, but not in India and the United States, where it faced legal ban.

Here are the features or specs of Samsung Galaxy Note 7:

NETWORK Technology GSM / HSPA / LTE
LAUNCH Announced 2016, August. Released 2016, September
Status Discontinued
BODY Dimensions 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9 mm (6.04 x 2.91 x 0.31 in)
Weight 169 g (5.96 oz)
Build Corning Gorilla Glass 5 back panel
SIM Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
– IP68 certified – dust/water proof over 1.5 meter and 30 minutes
– Stylus
– Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)
DISPLAY Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 5.7 inches (~78.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution 1440 x 2560 pixels (~518 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch Yes
Protection Corning Gorilla Glass 5
– HDR10 compliant
– Always-on display
– TouchWiz UI
PLATFORM OS Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow)
Chipset Exynos 8890 Octa
CPU Octa-core (4×2.3 GHz Mongoose & 4×1.6 GHz Cortex-A53)
GPU Mali-T880 MP12
MEMORY Card slot microSD, up to 256 GB (dedicated slot) – single-SIM model
microSD, up to 256 GB (uses SIM 2 slot) – dual-SIM model
Internal 64 GB, 4 GB RAM
CAMERA Primary 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash, check quality
Features 1/2.5″ sensor size, 1.4 µm pixel size, geo-tagging, simultaneous 4K video and 9MP image recording, touch focus, face/smile detection, Auto HDR, panorama
Video 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, dual-video rec., check quality
Secondary 5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm, dual video call, Auto HDR
SOUND Alert types Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes
– 24-bit/192kHz audio
– Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
COMMS WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, EDR, LE
GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
NFC Yes
Radio No
USB 3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
FEATURES Sensors Iris scanner, fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM
Browser HTML5
Java No
– Fast battery charging
– Qi wireless charging (market dependent)
– ANT+ support
– S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
– MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.265 player
– MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+/FLAC player
– Photo/video editor
– Document editor

 

TESTS Performance Basemark OS II 2.0: 2676 / Basemark X: 32648
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.247 (sunlight)
Camera Photo / Video
Loudspeaker Voice 69dB / Noise 69dB / Ring 72dB
Audio quality Noise -92.8dB / Crosstalk -92.9dB
MISC Colors Blue Coral, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium, Black Onyx
SAR EU 0.25 W/kg (head)     1.28 W/kg (body)
Price About 850 EUR

NASA Data Detects Huge Drop in Global Fires, Good or Bad?

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NASA satellites have detected from space that the number of fires across tropical forests in South America, the Eurasian Steppe, and the savannas of Africa are increasingly declining due to settled lifestyle than previous nomadic lifestyle in the regions.

The transition is leading intensified agriculture and steep drop in the use of fire leading to decline of forest fires, said researchers from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The total acreage burned by fires declined annually by 24% from 1998 to 2015, said a research paper based on NASA satellite data and ground-based socioeconomic information. The beneficiaries are mainly the savannas and grasslands, which witnessed fires burning out half the size of the US every year, said Niels Andela, a research scientist at Goddard and lead author.

In traditional savanna cultures, people often set fires to keep grazing lands productive and free of shrubs. Since many of these communities have shifted to cultivate more permanent fields and to build more houses, roads and villages, the use of fire declines.eading organisaed governance that controls fires. By 2015, savanna fires in Africa had declined by 270,000 square miles (700,000 square km), almost equivalent to an area the size of Texas.

“When land use intensifies on savannas, fire is used less and less as a tool. As soon as people invest in houses, crops and livestock, they don’t want these fires close by anymore. The way of doing agriculture changes, the practices change, and fire slowly disappears from the grassland landscape,” said Andela.

Fires in the savanna, like this one in South Africa, burn quickly through grasses, and help prevent trees and larger shrubs from taking root. CREDIT: Guido van der Werf / Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands

For their study, researchers used data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites, as well as other sources and compared it with trends in population, agriculture, livestock density and gross domestic product.

The scientists found a different pattern emerging in the rainforests close to the equator. Natural fires are rare in tropical forests, but as people settle an area they often burn to clear land for cropland and pastures. Once settled, they set fewer fires and the burned area declines.

The impact of a warming and drying climate is seen at higher latitudes in Canada and the American west, where fire has increased. Even in parts of China, India, Brazil and southern Africa, an increase in burned area is coming to light, said Doug Morton, a research scientist at Goddard and a co-author of the study.

“Climate change has increased fire risk in many regions, but satellite burned area data show that human activity has effectively counterbalanced that climate risk, especially across the global tropics,” Morton said.

The 24% decline in burned area may have contributed about 7% to the ability of global vegetation to absorb the increase in carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and land use change.

Zika Virus Surveillance in India Widened Now: Centre

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Following the first zika virus positive test report from Ahemedabad and two more in surveillance tests, the government said it has announced immediate measures to tackle the cases and test equipment across the country.

The sample was from a 34-year-old female patient admitted to hospital with complaints of fever following delivery of a healthy baby who had no travel history to any Zika affected country. Two more cases have been confirmed positive for Zika virus disease from the samples collected during January and February 2017. The other two cases include a 22-year-old pregnant woman in her 37th week of pregnancy and a 64-year-old male with 8 days history of fever.

Though World Health Organization had declared last November that Zika disease infection no longer constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the state government and the Centre have initiated country-wide Zika laboratory based surveillance in India that has so far tested 36,613 human samples and 16,571 mosquito samples for the presence of Zika virus, though no more positive cases have been reported.

National Guidelines and Action Plan on Zika virus, prepared and shared with the States whille an Inter – Ministerial Task Force has been set up under Chairmanship of Secretary (Health) with Secretary (Bio – Technology), Secretary (Department of Health Research) as members, said a statement.

The Joint Monitoring Group, a Technical group under DGHS, tasked to monitor emerging and re-emerging diseases is regularly reviewing the situation on Zika virus disease, it said.

All the International Airports / Ports have displayed signage providing information for travelers on Zika virus disease and to report if they are returning from any of the affected countries and suffering from febrile illness.

Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) is tracking for clustering of acute febrile illness in the community and sensitized its State and District Rapid Response Teams, while the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and NCDC, Delhi, 25 laboratories have been strengthened by Indian Council of Medical Research for laboratory diagnosis.

Currently, three entomological laboratories are conducting Zika virus testing on mosquito samples and six more lab staff have been trained for vector surveillance for Zika virus.

The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) is monitoring microcephaly from 55 sentinel sites though no increase in number of cases / clustering of microcephaly has been reported from these centers, said the government. Meanwhle, a 24×7 control room (011-23061469) is functioning from Directorate General of Health Services.

President Trump, PM Modi Joint Press Statement Reveals Little (Videos)

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The joint press statement from US President Donald Trump and the visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi elicited too little despite high expectations, especially on deep difference both nations have on several issues.

Trump in his typical speech pointed out that during his campaign, he had pledged that if elected, India would have a true friend in the White House. “Not many people know it, but both American and the Indian constitutions begin with the same three very beautiful words: We the people,” and yes, democractic nations came together.

Appreciating PM Modi, he said, “In just two weeks, you will begin to implement the largest tax overhaul in your country’s history — we’re doing that also, by the way — creating great new opportunities for your citizens. You have a big vision for improving infrastructure, and you are fighting government corruption, which is always a grave threat to democracy.”

He sought more jobs to be created in the US and asked India to remove trade barriers to encourage the export of U.S. goods into their markets, and help US reduce the trade deficit, which means more concessions from India on American trading companies.

Trump was pleased with India’s decision on Indian Airlines’ recent order of 100 new American planes, one of the largest orders of its kind, which Trump said “will support thousands and thousands of American jobs.”

Then he pondered the energy sector and said, “We’re also looking forward to exporting more American energy to India as your economy grows, including major long-term contracts to purchase American natural gas, which are right now being negotiated, and we will sign them. Trying to get the price up a little bit.”

He thanked PM Modi fro inviting his daugher Ivanka to lead the U.S. delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India this fall and said, “I believe she has accepted.”

Finally, on security partnership, he shared India’s views on terrorism and vowed to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them. “We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism.”

On military preparedness, the progress is visible as the US administration has already cleared the $2 billion Drones deal. “Reflecting the partnership, the US has offered for India’s consideration the sale of Sea Guardian Unmanned Aerial Systems, which would enhance India’s capabilities and promote shared security interests,” the joint statement said.

Further, President trump said, both US and Indian militaries will join together with the Japanese navy to take place in the largest maritime exercise (MALABAR) ever conducted in the vast Indian Ocean. Other issues on Afghanistan and North Korea figured in his speech.

In his reply, Prime Minister Modi thanked the US President and pondered on common priorities such as growth and terrorism being model democracies of the world. Increased productivity, growth, job creation, and breakthrough technologies will remain strong drivers of the cooperation, he said.

“I am sure that the convergence between my vision for a “new India and President Trump’s vision for “making America great again” will add new dimensions to our cooperation,” he said.

Finally, Modi termed his visit “very successful, very fruitful.” He concluded his speech inviting President Trump and the First Lady to visit India.”

President Greets on Idu’l Fitr as Prayers, Celebrations Mark Ramzan

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The President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee has greeted fellow citizens on the eve of Idu’l Fitr, known as Ramzan, which is being celebrated on Monday, June 26, 2017 in India.

In his message the President said, “On the auspicious occasion of Idu’l Fitr, I extend greetings and good wishes to all my fellow citizens, particularly my Muslim brothers and sisters, in India and abroad. May this joyous occasion, which marks the culmination of the period of fasting and prayer during the Holy month of Ramzan, bring happiness, peace and prosperity and be an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to serve humanity.

May this day, strengthen in each one of us, an unflinching faith in our unity and common destiny that has characterised our composite culture over the ages,” he said.

Earlier, the moon-sighting committee in Nashik announced that the moon has been sighted in most parts of the country, hence, Ramzan can be celebrated on Monday, clearing the confusion on the exact day of celebrations.

Though a cloudy weather deterred sighting of the moon in Nashik, in several part of India it was reported positively by local clerics. “The holy month of Ramzan was celebrated with devotion. Now, it is time for Eid. The Eid-Al-Fitr special prayers will be held at Shahajahani Eidgah ground on Monday,” said maulana Abdul Muktadir Rashidi, Imam of Khadkali Masjid in Old Nashik.

The clerics in Malegaon, Jalgaon and Dhule districts too announced the sighting of the moon on Sunday night and announcing that Eid will be celebrated today.

As mass prayers mark the end of Ramzan, fast-observing month of Muslims, Mumbai police and all city security agencies hyave beefed up security around mosques to avoid any untoward incidents. Several mosques and houses have begun celebrations with illuminated lighting on Sunday and many shops have reported brisk business on Sunday in view of Eid festival shopping.

Welcoming India, Pakistan Aboard, China Says No Bilateral Issues at Shanghai Group

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Welcoming India and Pakistan into the SCO, China categorically ruled out any bilateral issues cropping up at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a stand that India avowedly upheld in all multilateral forums.

“As a founding member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), we are very happy about the membership of India and Pakistan,” China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said at a ceremony at the SCO headquarters held to formally admit the two nations as new members of the grouping.

China is a dominant member and host of the 8-member organisation, which includes China, Russia and Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan besides India and Pakistan. Currently, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia are the observers and may soon join as members.

Kong, who attended the ceremony, tried to ally apprehensions aired by media reports on the possibility of bilateral rivalry weakening the organisation the way it has done to saarc. “In the charter of the SCO there is a clause that the hostility between the bilateral relations should not be brought to the organisation. I believe both the countries will abide by the charter of the organisation,” he said.

“Between our member states our interests far outweigh our differences. So, we should not exaggerate the differences between the countries as it is not good for the organisation and cooperation between member states. After becoming members, we all become members of the big family,” he said.

First Airbus Training Centre in Asia to be Set up in India

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European aviation firm Airbus is setting up a greenfield training facility at Aerocity, New Delhi, to support India’s growing need for Airbus aircraft pilots and maintenance engineers and the ground-breaking for it was performed by Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, Tom Enders, CEO, Airbus said the training centre will be the first such facility fully owned by us in Asia. India is the fastest growing domestic aviation market in the world and is expected to continue to grow at an annualised 9.3% over the next 20 years, outpacing the world average of 4.6%.

The number of trips per capita in India is expected to quadruple by 2035 due to a combination of economic and demographic factors, and Airbus forecasts a requirement for at least 1,600 new passenger and freighter aircraft by 2035. The consequent increase in Indian in-service aircraft fleet will lead to an accompanying need for over 24,000 new pilots and maintenance engineers.

The almost 7000 m2 Airbus India Training Centre will be built in a modular concept in order to become operational by end-2018 with two A320 full flight simulators, increasing to four and potentially to six simulators in due course, he informed.

It will start with an initial capacity to train over 800 pilots and 200 maintenance engineers annually. The centre will cater primarily to Airbus operators in India and the region. Airbus has more than 250 aircraft in service in India and over 570 are on order by Indian airlines.

Indian Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that India’s rapidly growing passenger aircraft fleet must be matched by adequate availability of skilled pilots and maintenance engineers.

Airbus’ pilot and maintenance engineering training center is the type of facility which will help augment the talent pool of such personnel and thus be a force multiplier for the Indian aviation sector, he said. He has asked Airbus to think of creating MRO facility in India to.

China, India Behind 50% of Global Deaths Due to Air Pollution: Study

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China and India together contributed for more than half of the total global deaths due to air pollution in 2015, said a study by the U.S.-based Health Effects Institute (HEI).

The report showed that air pollution caused more than 4.2 million deaths in 2015, making it the fifth highest cause of death. But just two countries – India and China alone reported 2.2 million deaths, or half of the global deaths.

The institute on its website – www.stateofglobalair.org – said 92% of the world’s population lives in areas which are filled with polluted or unhealthy air. In turn, air pollution causes cancer, stroke and heart disease, as well as chronic respiratory problems such as asthma.

However, China is trying to bring down the deaths but India has a long time to go, it said. In January, a ministry spokesman told domestic media, “It is currently too early to draw conclusions about the extent of the impact of smog on health, especially its long-term impact on the body.”

The report said most of the world’s population lives in areas where air quality is unhealthy and an estimated 92% of people live in areas where fine particulate matter concentrations (small dust or soot in the air) exceed the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guideline of 10 µg/m3.

Air pollution is a complex mixture of particles and gases and the composition varies from place to place, depending on what sources are present, including power plants, heavy industry, traffic, weather conditions, and how they mix in the atmosphere, said the organisation in it study.

Challakere in Karnataka: No Secret City But Hub of Nuclear Power, Says Report

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Challakere in Karnataka is not only a hub for buses travelling to and fro Bangalaore and Bellary but also a hub for the Defence ministry, purported to be the nuclear city of future to generate the country’s nuclear power for submarines and weapons.

Last year, the US magazine Foreign Policy, quoting a former PMO official, said it may trigger competition from neighbouring nuclear powers China and Pakistan. Not China but Pakistan has recently complained that the hub is a “secret nuclear city.”

India has denied the allegations and stood to its ground it is a safer bet to hold on to its nuclear weapons unlike Pakistan, which was involved in smuggling nuclear secrets to North Korea and other threshold countries, violating all the norms of being a nuclear power.

The not-so-secret nuclear underground factory was set up in 2012 when the Congress government was in power at the Centre and the BJP was in power in the state of Karnataka, 203-km northeast of Bangalore on 4,290 acres of land in Challakere for scientific and nuclear use, said reports.

In its 14-page report. Foreign Policy claimed that the Challakere project will be the “subcontinent’s largest military-run complex of nuclear centrifuges, atomic-research laboratories, weapons and aircraft-testing facilities” when it is scheduled to be completed this year. It was expected to produce fuel for nuclear reactors and the navy’s fleet of new submarines, said the article.

“But another, more controversial ambition, according to retired Indian government officials and independent experts in London and Washington, is to give India an extra stockpile of enriched uranium fuel that could be used in new hydrogen bombs,” the report said.

As of 2015, India had 110 nuclear war heads compared to 120 in Pakistan and 260 in China, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It quoted former White House official Gary Samore who said, “I believe that India intends to build thermonuclear weapons as part of its strategic deterrent against China.”

Other reports said the test center in the cordoned area may have a 3-mile long runway for a new generation of drones and long distance unmanned vehicles. The report also said Mysore district nearby is known for plutonium resources. The Center for Public Integrity has undertaken a field report on environmental fall out of the so-called secret city recently.

Nepal SAARC Meeting on Feb 1 to Decide on Next Summit Schedule

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The nations of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) will meet in Kathmandu on February 1-2 to attend the Programming Committee meeting over the next SAARC summit schedule.

This is the first meeting of the SAARC members after the controversial postponement of the 19th SAARC summit scheduled in Islamabad last year in November due to India’s objections over the escalation of border tensions.

The meeting in Nepal will witness all the SAARC member states to discuss the budget of the SAARC Secretariat and five regional centers of SAARC, besides the rescheduling of the next SAARC summit. The meeting will be attended by joint secretaries of the SAARC countries.

The decisions at the programming committee will be sent to the Standing Committee. SAARC, set up in 1985, consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Last November, the SAARC Summit was postponed after four nations — Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India — requested the summit in Islamabad to be postponed over the border tensions between India and Pakistan. The four countries had blamed Pakistan for not creating a conducive environment and not cooperating on combating cross-border terrorism in the region for holding the SAARC Summit. Pakistan rejected the charges.

Trumpeting ‘America First’ Theory Far-Fetched But Feasible

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US President Donald Trump in his first Presidential address has put “America First”, setting the tone for an inward-looking diplomacy that might radically change the course of world events since the Pearl Harbor attack seven decades ago.

“We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first, America first,” he said in his first Presidential speech.

In domestic politics, what President Trump proclaimed was feasible but in international politics, diplomacy varies from capital to capital and region to region. Depending on where he stands, it changes.

To begin with, going westward, America of Trump may seek more from Japan where it has stationed its war fleet round the clock for a sum. Now this has to be a ransom to sustain what Trump wanted. Will Tokyo, stuck in a stagnated economy, tax its citizens more to pay Uncle Sam?

Australia and New Zealand, who fall in line every time an emergency struck the US in the past, may not benefit from America First policy directly but certainly they can look inward for a domestically centred economic push, instead of looking at Washington DC for succour.

Asia is as divided as ever. China may tremble under the pressure of a constant panic button by an erstwhile businessman who may want more concessions or threaten to replete the markets for ever. China may retaliate in many ways including selling its US dollar reserves which are in plenty. This may be an uphill task but once mooted, even the US economy will shake.

India, being a late entrant into the US-dominated international politics after the Cold War, will have to safeguard its Information Technology companies and contracts whether H1B visa is there or not. The time is for Indian honchos to give room to their US counterparts in office space to thwart any direct attack from Trump. It is going to be a roller-coaster ride for Indian IT companies for the next four years.

Pakistan, whose Prime Minister woke up to a sudden phone call from President-elect Trump, may cosy up to the fact that they have to rein in on Islamic leaders either willingly or unwillingly for the next four years. US troops in Afghan border will remain a direct answer to every word that Trump speaks from now onwards. How Taliban in Kabul outskirts reacts to Trump will shape the drone war in the vicinity of Hindukush mountains.

Middle East will remain the major beneficiary from the Trump Administration as long as the Arabs keep their oil wells in tact and hand over the IS agents in return for business considerations. One pointer is that oil prices will be given a push to touch $100 if diplomacy by business is what Trump means.

More of Israel than Iran in Middle East policy will gain currency again. To achieve this, United Kingdom will have to be roped in and NATO alliance has to remain in its place to keep Russia’s Putin in place. US future with Europe is so intertwined that no President can just distance the siblings here.

Africa in the backyard, as usual, with focus on warlords and military mafia who will resurrect terror and attract Trump’s attention eventually tasting his iron-handed approach. Unlike the previous Bush administration, Trump may be forced to involve more in African affairs, for a change now.

Back to borders with other American nations like Mexico, he may build a wall but how much of the cost will be footed by the Mexican drug mafia, if not the Mexican government, will be the major question. Other Latin Americans may wait in the wings for the next administration to take over in 2021.

All said and done, Trump’s slogan remains the same – “Yes, together, we will make America great again.”

India, Mauritius Sign MoU on Fisheries, Cooperatives

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India signed an MoU with Mauritius on Monday to cooperate in fisheries and cooperatives in agro industry, fisheries and dairy sector.

India’s Union Minister of Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh and Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Govt. of Mauritius, Mr. Soomilduth Bholah signed on MoU for Cooperation in the field of Cooperatives, in New Delhi on Monday.

The MoU will enable the two countries to collaborate in this vital sector and can significantly benefit thousands in Mauritius. India has also offered to exchange its expertise and technology with Mauritius in agro industry, fisheries and dairy sector.

The two ministers expressed satisfaction at the historic, time-tested relationship between India and Mauritius which is anchored in linkages of culture and ancestry has grown from strength to strength over the years, adding that frequent high level visits have added significant momentum to the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

India is enhancing ties with Mauritius and alst year, INS Tabar, a stealth frigate visited Port Louis, Mauritius from 10-13 March. The primary aim of the visit was to participate in the Mauritius National Day celebrations and strengthen the existing bonds of friendship.

In May-June 2016, Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Mhadei (INSVMhadei) with an all-women crew undertook two voyages to Port Louis, Mauritius as part of the first two open-ocean voyages of the Navy’s all-women crew of Mhadei, who are currently training to undertake a circumnavigation of the globe in 2017.